President Barack Obama speaks at the 62nd National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2014. The president told the non-denominational gathering of political leaders that freedom of religion across the world is important to national security and is a central tenet of U.S. diplomacy.

Charles Dharapak, Associated Press

Summary

President Obama emphasized global religious freedom in remarks at the 2014 National Prayer Breakfast, while the head of the U.S. Agency for International Development stressed a social welfare message based on a New Testament passage.

“I hope this is not another example of a splendid speech followed by no action whatsoever.”

Thomas F. Farr

WASHINGTON — President Obama on Thursday declared global religious freedom is "under threat" and he called on North Korea and Iran to release Americans jailed for practicing their Christian beliefs.

Speaking at the annual National Prayer Breakfast, Obama also denounced abuses in the name of religion that discriminate and oppress minorities.

"We sometimes see religion twisted in an attempt to justify hatred and persecution against other people just because of who they are or how they pray or who they love," he said at the private event that draws hundreds of members of Congress, national leaders and foreign dignitaries to the Washington Hilton ballroom.

His remarks drew both praise and skepticism from human rights advocates and a religious freedom scholar.

"I hope this is not another example of a splendid speech followed by no action whatsoever," said Thomas F. Farr, who directs the Religious Freedom Project and the Program on Religion and US Foreign Policy at Georgetown University's Berkley Center for Religion, Peace and World Affairs.

Obama singled out Americans Kennth Bae, a Christian missionary who has served 15 months of a 15 year sentence of hard labor in a North Korean prison, and Saeed Abedini, jailed in Iran for 18 months after being permitted to enter the nation for charitable activities.

He said his administration is working for the release of both men.

"Today, again, we call on the Iranian government to release Pastor Abedini so he can return to the loving arms of his wife and children in Idaho,” Obama said.

Obama's call for the release of Bae and Abedini drew plaudits from the Institute for Religion and Democracy, whose program director Faith J.H. McDonald said in a statement, "There are hundreds of other Christians, such as Pastor Benham Irani and Muslim background believer Alireza Seyyedian, as well as prisoners of other faiths, including Baha’i, imprisoned in Iran. We urge the President to continue to call for the release of all of these prisoners, and for the Iranian Islamist regime to allow religious freedom."

Before singling out the two American captives, Obama said that "as our faith sustains us, it’s also clear that around the world freedom of religion is under threat. We see governments engaging in discrimination and violence against the faithful."

The president said no society can flourish without guaranteeing "the rights of all its peoples, including religious minorities" and he called out Syria to ensure "a place for all people — Alawites and Sunni, Shia and Christian."

Obama spoke out against blasphemy laws that "are promoted sometimes as an expression of religion, but, in fact, all too often can be used to suppress religious minorities.

"We continue to stand for the rights of all people to practice their faiths in peace and in freedom," he said. "And we will continue to stand against the ugly tide of anti-Semitism that rears its ugly head all too often."

Farr said he hopes Obama follows up his speech with action, particularly when the president said, "I look forward to nominating our next ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom."

In a telephone interview, Farr said Obama's remarks, "by and large, they were quite good and in some cases rhetorically invigorating, even encouraging." However, he added, "I’ve seen other good and splendid speeches by this president on religious freedom, such as his 2009 speech in Cairo, but no policy action followed. Let’s get moving on an ambassador (for international religious freedom) — there’s plenty of good candidate and time’s a-wasting."

Popular Comments

The problem is we can't trust a word President Obama says. I have learned
that whatever President Obama says I should expect the opposite to happen. I
expect religious liberties to be further assaulted in 2014. One day I hope we
get a President
More..

1:56 a.m. Feb. 7, 2014

Top comment

Mainly Me

Werribee, 00

Gimme a break! The Dear Leader's idea of religious freedom is, "Do
what I say or else."

11:52 p.m. Feb. 6, 2014

Top comment

RG

Buena Vista, VA

I find it hypocritical of Obama to discuss religious freedom when he himself is
waging war on the Little Sisters of the Poor.

Mark A. Kellner, a national reporter for the Deseret News, has written about issues of faith and freedom since 1983, including 11 years of editorial work for the Seventh-day Adventist Church world headquarters in Silver more ..